Can Dogs Just Take A Dislike To A Certain Person

[MsKatie]

Have had it said to me recently about a particular dog " oh - he just doesn't like x" or " it's just x" - can this actually be because said person is nervous around the dog or because the dog doesn't see the person often? The person is a fairly dog savvy person - owns thir own dogs - but has had a couple of 'nips' and a bare of teeth from this dog. I would be concerned if it were my dog even f it was ok with everyone else. x has decided they are not going near said dog again as they don't feel they can trust him.Any ideas?

[Remarkabull]

My previous Doberman had an instant dislike of 2 different people that I can remember. The first was when he was 6 months old and we had a few of my husbands friends over. All was well and Sarge was happy and friendly with them all when another friend turned up (he is aboriginal, others were not). Sarge growled at him the entire time he was there and didn't take his eyes off him the entire time. I actually had to hang on to his collar to keep him by my side as he was very unhappy.

Second time was years later and we lived in Sydney. We used to stand out the front of our house talking to the neighbours and there was this young kid (teenager) that used to hang around occasionally. Sarge hated him with a passion and the kid couldn't even approach the fence or Sarge would go ballistic. This kid turned out to be as dodgy as hell so I guess he was a good judge of character.

[kelpiecuddles]

My mum's old dog loved everyone, then one day mum was walking her and this bloke walked past them about 20 metres away, suddenly mum's dog was growling and snarling and all sorts of stuff. The guy had done nothing to cause this outburst and mum's dog had never done it before and has never done it since. So I am inclined to say that they can have just one person that they don't like for whatever reason.

[Tazar]

Dogs are smart and can sense things. If it is a rare occurrence then take note and follow you dogs instincts.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I think its sometimes a visual and sometimes a smell thing (when they get close enough to smell the person).

My dog will go charging up to a person she thinks she knows, all wiggle bum and happy but when she gets close enough to smell them, maybe 2m out, if she doesn't know them, she sort of blows by them and comes back to me (sooner if I call her).

If she goes funny about a person from a distance, I think it's because they look odd to her. I'm the only person who is allowed to wear a hat around her for instance. Everyone else - she tells off - until she gets over herself.

But anything that's quite unusual or moves funny - she gets upset about. As best I can tell - not necessarily actual creepy people. She's been fine with some seriously creepy crazy people that I don't like at all. And some people I reckon are ok - she gets upset about.

The people she gets upset with - I keep her away from. And I try to keep her away from the people I get upset with.

[fainty_girl]

I think dogs (and other animals) can definitely take a dislike to a certain person.

My stumpy tail cattle dog X Jessie likes strangers (although she does look fairly cautious), but on two occasions she has reacted totally differently to two different strangers. A while ago there was a man sitting in his truck at the dog park and she wouldn't have a bar of him, I'm not sure if he tried to call her over, but she kept her distance and stood there barking at him. She did the same to a rough looking older man at another dog park who was walking through. It was very unlike her; she wasn't aggressive at all, she just kept her distance and barked. For whatever reason, she wasn't comfortable with these people, I just called her away and popped her on the lead. I think dogs can be a good judge of character.

[W Sibs]

Dogs are smart and can sense things. If it is a rare occurrence then take note and follow you dogs instincts.

i believe this too

[luvsdogs]

My previous dog April took a great dislike to our friend who was an instructor at an obedience club I used to take her to, & his son who was a mate of our oldest son. She would follow the father's every move at the obedience club & heaven forbid if he was doing vetting. When the son came to visit she would again watch him like a hawk & if he went into son's bedroom she would follow him almost nipping at his heels. Neither one did anything to her that I'm aware. None of our present dogs have the same reactions to them.

[MsKatie]

So people wouldn't be concerned about the aggresion but would tend to think the dog was reacting to some gut instinct and the person was suspicious?

What if a dog reacted like that to you? What would you think?

Edited May 3, 2013 by KelpieHoundMum

[shapeshifter]

I think so, my old dog hated my grandfather, she never snapped at anyone (children to the elderly) bar him in her whole 16 years and no he never did anything to her, she hated him from the first time she ever saw him.

She also had a thing about Staffys, I like Staffys so it didn't come from me, she just took a dislike to them on sight and would go for them, shook my head at people that didn't believe me and thought I was a 'pitbull hater' when I said "it was my dog not yours" when I had to move from next to them at obedience.

Oh I should add, my grandfather was an arse!

Edited May 3, 2013 by shapeshifter

[fuzzy82]

One of my dogs really dislikes a friend of a friend who comes over. The person has had dogs all his life and claims to be dog savvy, but I can see quite clearly why my dog doesn't like him. My dog isn't overly fond of strangers to start with (aloof and a one person dog) and this person expects all dogs to be ecstatic to see him and all dogs should tolerate anything a person wants to dish out with a smile on its face. This person started out bending over and reaching for my dog, and my dog backed up a few steps, so the person then tried to grab him, which over time has developed into repeatedly trying to grab him in an exaggerated manner because he expects the dog to back away. And then finally it got to the point where my dog now refuses to go near him at all and will stay at the back of the house whenever he comes to the door and just sit and watch him and wait for him to go away.

So in this case it's very easy to see why my dog doesn't like him (I actually don't like him either), but even when there's no obvious reason, I would assume the dog has a good reason if it's generally friendly and confident, but takes a dislike to just one or two people. I certainly don't like everyone I come across, so I don't expect my dogs to either. Of course aggression is always a concern (my dog has never shown aggression), and if the dog was showing aggressive tendencies, I would make sure I never let the dog near the person, unless I was actively trying to desensitise and fix the issue.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

My favourite story of doggy revenge was the one where a certain dog peed on the rather unpleasant father in law's belongings. And the owner couldn't correct for laughing. They both hated the FIL.

It doesn't explain why my dog likes to eat my mums golf sox - just one from each pair. They (sox and Mum) don't deserve that.

[darlingdog]

My favourite pointer...who is as affectionate a dog as I've ever met....HATES my mother in law and cannot be in the same room as her.

[espinay2]

I trust my dogs instincts - and the situation. My breed is known to be fairly discriminating and if they don't like someone, you generally take notice.

I have found this to be true as a rule. One interesting (but understandable) exception was the first time my now OH met my now long departed girl Milou.

She was lying on her bed in the lounge and he went over to say hello to her - and leaned over her while wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. She let out a low growl.

I tell you in that instant I thought 'well this one is a goner' :laugh: .

He backed off straight away and we then did a proper introduction. They ended up being inseparable friends with a VERY tight and special bond between them.

Edited May 3, 2013 by espinay2

[Mystiqview]

Yes!!

One of my girls here loves people. Sit down and she is in your lap.

There are two people whom she does not like. The first one is a male friend of my partner's. Just really barks and growls at Michael. He is a lovely man and really loves animals.

The other was a female friend of my mother. She disliked her SOO much, she actually nipped at her ankles when she came in the house. Again, really was barking and growling at her.

[persephone]

Of course they can feel anxious/aggro toward other individuals .... It's what they do about it is the bit we can manage ;)

[BC Crazy]

Yes... Both my guys are people love most people. But their is a couple my boy is wary of but he just keeps his distance, no growls but I can tell by body lanuage he isn't comfortable.

My girl reacts vocally, growling, barking. She keeps her distance as well. Both act rather aloof toward them.

One they both dislike is one of OH's work mates. He happens to have a fairly dodgey past.

I think they are an excellent judge of character & I never push the point with them, make them approach or be patted. I let them decide what they are comfortable with, they do as far as outsiders are concerned.

If my guys reacted to me this way OP asked??

I don't know what I would do. If they growled, I rouse sternly at them straight away but other than that if they took it further. No idea's there.

Edited May 3, 2013 by BC Crazy

[juice]

If it was one of mine i would seek help to make sure it was ok or not.

[Pollywaffle]

my little girl hates anything with a beard..male or female ( :) )

[Dory the Doted One]

If a friends dog was uncomfortable and growly with me. I'd ignore the dog and just socialize with my friend.

Unless it was being actively pushy and aggressive, then I'd expect the dog to be turfed outside or put somewhere where I wasn't.

If friend didn't do so then I'd not bother visiting again.

I had one dog that was friendly with with most and reeeeeally not happy with a handful. 1 person I didn't like anyway and 2 others were a bit weird and sleazy. Her dislike of them was pretty unsettling. And I wasn't convinced she wouldn't bite them. And I don't think she would've just nipped. I kept her on lead, crated or in the backyard.

Dory is funny with some, great with others. 'meh' with a few and ridiculously sucky and friendly with a few more. If she can schmooze someone into pats and treats, she's their new best friend. Some of these people were not on my 'like' list.

Faithless little bugger she can be.